Various forms of pin(s) have long been used for mounting tips and couplers to supporting bucket adapters. Some of such pins have employed snap-rings to retain the pin such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,486 for a Positive Keeper Means for Pins of Earthworking Tips issued Apr. 25, 1989 to Mark S. Diekevers et. al. Side mounted pins such as disclosed in the preceding patent are sometimes difficult to use to mount bucket tips because of the close spacing of such tips on a bucket. As a consequence, vertical or top mounted pins are preferable in such situations. However when employed on large buckets, such as on large mining shovels for instance, it has been found that large upward vertical forces are exerted on the vertical mounting pin. These upward forces are substantially greater than any downward force exerted on the pin and are sufficiently great to cause the premature shear failure of the snap-ring used to retain the pin.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems encountered in the use of prior art tools and retention devices.